She thought that was such a wonderful idea, tears came into her eyes. Lucas called the children over then and explained that he was leaving for a few days. He kissed the three of them, then told them all to mind their mother. Taylor noticed he stared at Georgie when he gave the order.
Allie cried when he left, then her sister joined in. Taylor didn't try to hush the little girls. They were doing exactly what she wanted to do. She said a prayer he wouldn't be gone long and then went back to work.
During his absence, Taylor put in a summer garden of cabbage, peas, turnips, and onions. Roily stopped by to bring her a surprise, a second rocking chair identical to the first that he had started work on months ago and never got around to finishing. He thought Victoria might want to rock at the same time Taylor was using her rocker. She was thrilled with the gift, and after she'd given him sufficient praise and accepted the fact that he wasn't going to take any money for the chair no matter how long and hard she argued with him, she changed the topic to her garden and asked his advice.
Roily ended up helping her with the chore. He made her dig up all the onions. They were buried so deep, they would never find their way up to the sun, he explained. It took her two full days of working from sunup to sundown to finish the garden.
Roily put up wire fencing around the perimeter. He warned her the fence wouldn't keep out the rabbits, but he didn't have any suggestions to offer as to how she could keep them from eating the vegetables.
Victoria and Hunter usually went outside after supper while Taylor put the children to bed. The task shouldn't have taken her any time at all, but getting the twins to cooperate took at least an hour. Neither one of the little girls paid any attention to a word she said, and she didn't know what she could do to make them obey.
After they finally fell asleep, she turned her attention to Daniel. The bedtime stories were their special time together. The only problem was that she was running out of tales about Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. She had already shortened her son's name to Daniel, and since he never corrected her, she thought he might be leaning toward that name. Yet when she asked him if he was going to choose Daniel or David, he shook his head and told her he hadn't made up his mind yet.
She tucked her son under the covers and fell asleep on the mat next to him. Hunter shook her awake. Victoria had sent him upstairs to make certain she was in the house. Taylor staggered to her feet. Hunter latched onto her arm on the way down the stairs so she wouldn't topple over.
"How long are you going to keep this up?" Hunter asked
Taylor collapsed in the rocking chair and wearily began to unbraid her hair.
"Keep what up?" she asked.
"You're working yourself to death," Hunter explained.
"You are, Taylor," Victoria agreed.
"I'm just a little tired tonight," Taylor admitted. "After I get into a routine and do what I'm supposed to do each day of the week, I'll be more organized and less weary. Everything takes twice as long now but that's only because I'm learning as I go along. Making soap should have only taken one day but it took me three."
"Are you saying you are supposed to do certain chores on certain days?" Victoria asked. She glanced at Hunter to see if he knew what she was talking about. He wasn't paying Victoria any attention, however, for he was frowning down at Taylor.
"Yes, of course," Taylor answered. "The women in the wilderness have set days for each chore. Monday is wash day and Tuesday is ironing. Wednesday is baking day and…"
"For the love of God," Hunter muttered. "Where did you hear this nonsense?"
Taylor took exception to his tone of voice and his obvious ridicule. "I read it in Mrs. Livingston's journal. It seems very reasonable to me."
Victoria sat down on the bench and folded her hands together in her lap. "You're killing yourself," she told her friend. "You put in a garden, unpacked all the trunks, washed clothes, and made enough soap to last us three years."
"But I won't have to make it again for a long time," Taylor hastily pointed out.
Victoria turned to Hunter. "She mentioned she was going to make candles tomorrow. I can't imagine why we need them. We have plenty of lanterns."
Hunter kept his gaze on Taylor. "Exactly what is it you're trying to prove?"
She was too exhausted to lie or give him a clever half-truth. "That I'm not fragile."
He was taken aback by her answer. His eyes widened, and he almost smiled. She sure as certain looked fragile to him tonight. She looked half dead to him. Her complexion was as pale as flour and she had dark smudges under her eyes.
"Who said you were fragile?" he asked, already guessing the answer.
Victoria answered him. "I'll bet Lucas did."
Taylor nodded. "I want him to realize I'm capable of making it here."
"And then he won't make you leave," Victoria said with a nod.
"Yes."
"If that isn't-" Hunter began.
Taylor interrupted him. "I would appreciate it if neither one of you mentioned this conversation to my husband. I want him to see for himself that I'm strong and determined… and happy, damn it. Now if you'll both excuse me, I'm going to bed. I've had a long day."
"Why bother going to bed?" Hunter asked. "You'll be getting up in another hour."
She had secretly asked herself that question a dozen times in the last week. It did seem to her that as soon as her head hit the pillow and she closed her eyes, the sun was starting to climb back up in the sky.
"There is no need for sarcasm," she muttered.
She went into Victoria's room to wash and change into her nightgown. When she heard the front door close, she came back out.
Victoria had thoughtfully pulled the covers back on her bed for her. A faint blush covered her cheeks, and Taylor thought perhaps Hunter had kissed her again.
"How are things going with you and Hunter?" she asked. "Are you getting along?"
"Get into bed first. You look dead on your feet," her friend advised.
Taylor did as she was told. She smiled when Victoria tucked the covers around her. It felt nice to have someone look after her for a change. She patted a spot next to her on the bed and moved her legs out of the way so Victoria could sit down.
Her friend answered the question Taylor wanted to ask but knew she shouldn't.
"He kisses me good night every single night," her friend whispered. "Sometimes more than once. He doesn't seem to notice I'm getting big and awkward and ugly."
"You are radiant, not ugly, and that is what he sees."
"He still says he's leaving as soon as the baby arrives."
"He could change his mind."
Victoria nodded agreement, but the look on her face indicated she didn't believe it.
"Taylor, what can I do to help you?"
"Give me some advice," she answered. "Tell me what to do about Georgie and Allie. Be completely honest and tell me what you think of their behavior. They're old enough to listen and obey a few simple rules, aren't they?"
Victoria smiled. "You know I love and cherish Daniel and the girls, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Taylor replied.
"Daniel is such a delight. He's getting more opinionated and stubborn, I've noticed, but he listens to reason. He certainly isn't a problem. But the twins…"
"Yes?"
Victoria let out a sigh. "They're little hellions."
Taylor was in full agreement, yet as the twins' mother, she felt it necessary to defend the little girls. "They aren't always hellions. They listen to Lucas and Hunter. When one of them tells Georgie to get down off the table, she immediately obeys. They don't threaten her or plead with her and I know she isn't afraid of either one of them. She wouldn't be so sassy around them if she were afraid."